Can construction



P. OFTEDAI- IL CAN CONSTRUCTION Filed May 1, 1929 June 23,1931.

wvavrox PETER OFTEDAHL.

Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

V. rn'rnn orrnnant, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, Assrenon TO ntr'arna M. OFT'EDAHL, orsAn FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CAN CONSTRUCTION Application filed May 1,1929. Serial 110,859,492.

My invention relates to improvements in can construction wherein a wire is enclosed within a peripheral groove formed adjacent the top of a can and provided with an outwardly extending end adapted to be engaged and wound upon a key for severing the can along the groove. o

The primary object of my invention is to 7 provide an improved can construction.

Another object is to provide an improved construction which will facilitate the opening of cans.

' A further object is to provide an improved 7 device which will permit the top of a can to be entirely severed and which will insure a clean, regular out.

Another object is to provide an improved construction which will facilitate-the placing and securing of a wire within the top of 80 the can. m

A further object is to provide an improved device of the character described in which the wire is efiectually covered and enclosed and the can efiectually sealed. e

-A still further object is to provide an improved structure which can be efficiently and economically constructed.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the specification and drawings, and in which-- Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of the top of my improved can construction;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the can turned to a slightly different-position, and with a portion broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a broken; side elevation of the upper portions of the meeting edges of the body before being moved into engaging relation; 1 I Fig. dis a view showing the meeting edges in engaging relation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail taken upon the line 5.5 of Fig. 4 in the direction indicated; y

- Fig, 6 isan enlarged sectional detail taken upon the line 6-6 ofFig. 4 in the direction indicated; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged View showing the manner in which the groove is formed to initially retain the wire.

' Referring to th drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in general the body of a can formed from a suitable sheet metal blank having edges 2 adapted to be crimped into it interlocking engagement'to form a seam 3 upon a side of the can. An extension 4: is formed upon one-of the edges 2 at the top end thereof, said extension being adapted to be overlapped by the opposite edge 2 when said edges are moved into engaging relation, said opposite edgebeing partially cut away as at 6. r v I A peripheral groove 7 is formed in the body 1 adjacent the top thereo-f, said groove being formed in the'flat blank and extending entirely around the top of the can and across the extension 4. when the blank is shaped to form the can; "A wire'8'is mounted within the groove-7, one end of the wire being bent to form a'hook as at 9 to engage a notch 11 formed in the extension 4 at the end of the groove 7, and the opposite end of the wire belngbent to engage a notch 12 formed at the opposite end of the groove and form an outwardly disposed end portion 14.

The groove 7 is initially formed to open upon what is to be the inside surface of the can, the opening'being slightly'less than the diameter of the wire 8, as indicated in Fig. i

7, whereby the wire maybe threaded through the groove and retained therein while the blank is in its initial flat form, the wire be? ing inserted and the ends of the wire bent to engage the notches 11 and 12, preferably before the blank is shaped, to form the can. As the blank is shaped around the usual horn, the groove 7 is spread as indicated in exaggerated form in Fig. '5, the wire'being expanded by its own spring tension'tofit closely within the groove and being held by the bent portions 9 and 14:. 1 a 1 As the edges 2 aremoved and crimped together, the hooked end'9 is. engaged between the extension land the overlapping portion of the opposite edge of the can. The bent soldered in the ordinary manner, the soldering being extended along-the notched and beveled end 6 to eftectually seal the oint.

A top 16 is secured upon the top of the can body 1 in the ordinary manner. The top is provided with an inwardly extending -r ib- 17 fitting closely against the inner surface of the top of the can and extending inwardly past the groove 7 to cover the wire 8 and en'- close the same as best shown in Fig.2 of the drawings.

The finished can presents the ordinary? appearance except for the peripheral rib made in forming the groove 7-.- To open the can a-suitable key18 is moved intoe-ngagement with the outwardly extending end 14 of the wire 8; said key being turned to wind the wire 8 onto the key. The wire is held against slipping by the hook end 9 so that as the wire is wound onto the key 18, said wire cuts through the body of the can along the groove 7 and severs the top of the can to give unobstructed access to the contents 'of the can. The wire '8 is made of spring steel; or

other suitable material having adequate strength and resilience to insure a clean out through the metal wall of the can and to prevent breaking the Wire while the'top of the can is being severed Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is' V 1. A can comprising a body formed from sheet material having edges crimpedininterlocking relation forming a seam, said body having a peripheral groove formed adjacent the top of the body and having notches formed at'the ends-of the groove; a wire mounted within the groove, the ends of said wire being hooked within the notches and being secured between the crimped edges of the body and one of said ends extending outwardly at the end of the seam to be engaged and wound upon a key to sever the can along the groove; and arcover secured upon the top of the can and provided with anannhlar rib inwardly indented and extending inwardly. past the groovefiush with the sides of the can to cover and enclose the wire with-I in the groove.

2. A can comprising-a bodyforme'd from a sheet metal blank having edges orimped into interlocking relation forming a seam, said body having a peripheral groove formed adjacent the. top of the body and notches formed in the edges of the blank at the ends of the groove; a' wire mounted within the groove, the ends of the wire being hooked into thev notches and being secured between the edges of the blank and one of said ends extending outwardly at the end edge adjacent the top of the can and having a continuation of the groove formed therein, said extension being adapted to be overlapped by the opposite edge of the can when the edges are crimped together; notches formedin the edges of the blank at the ends of --thegroove:;;a wire mounted within the groovewi-th the ends of the wire hooked around the edges of the blank in engagement with the notches, oneof .said ends extending outwardly between the overlapping edges and adapted to be engaged and wound onto a key to sever the can along the: roove; a cover secured uponthe top-.o' theoaara-nd enclosingthe wirewith-i-n the groove. I

4. A can comprisinga body-formed from a sheet metal blank having edges orimped into interlocking relation from; a seam and provided with an extension for medupon "one edge at the top of the can to be overlapped by the opposite edge when theedges are crimpedyaperipheral groove formed in the blank adjacent the top otthe can and ex.- tending across the extension; notches formed in the blank at the ends of the groove; a wire having its ends hooked into engagement with the notches and extending around f the body Within-the groove, one of the endsbeing hooked onto the extension and rigidly. held thereby within the can and the-other end extending outwardly betweenthe overlapping edges at the end ot the sea-In'an'd being adaptedtobeengaged and wound upon a key to sever the'can along theg-roove; and a cover secured upon the top of the can and enclosing the wireiwithin the groove.

I 5. A canco'mprising a body formed from a sheet. metal blank having edges crimped into interlocking relation forming a seam and provided-with an extensionformed upon one edge at the top of the can to be overlapped by the opposite edge when the edges are crimped; a peripheral g'ro'ove formed in the blank'adjacent the top of the can and extending across the extension; notches formed in the blank at the ends of the groove; awire having its ends hookedintofengagement with the notches and extending outwardly between the overlapping edges at the end of the seam and being adapted to be en gaged and wound upon a-key to sever the can along the groove; and a cover secu-red upon the top of the can, said cover being provided with an inwardly extending annular rib'fitting flush within the. top; of the can-and extending past the groove to cover and enclose the wire within the groove.

6. In a can construction, a body formed from a sheet metal blank having a bead indented longitudinally of the blank adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof to receive a wire threaded within the indentation forming the bead, the edges of the indented portion being spaced a distance less than the diameter of the wire to retain the Wire within the indentation and being moved apart when the blank is shaped to form the body of a can; an extension formed upon one end of the blank to be overlapped by the opposite end of the blank when the can is shaped, the indentation which forms the bead being extended to the end of the extension and having a notch formed at the end of said indentation, and the wire having a hook upon one end to engage the notch to rigidly secure one end of the wire within the can when the blank is shaped to form a can.

7. In a can construction, a body formed from a sheet metal blank having a bead indented longitudinally of the blank adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof to receive a wire threaded within the indentation forming the bead, the edges of the indented portion being spaced a distance less than the diameter of the wire to retain the wire within the indentation and being moved apart when the blank is shaped to form the body of a can; an extension formed upon one end of the blank to be overlapped by the opposite end of the blank when the can is shaped, the indentation which forms the bead being extended to the end of the extension and having a notch formed at the end of said indentation, and the wire having a hook upon one end to engage the notch to rigidly secure one end of the wire within the can when the blank is shaped to form a can; and interlocking edges crimped to join the ends of the blank when shaped, the outwardly disposed edge being cut away to permit the opposite end of the wire to extend outwardly from the can.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

PETER OFTEDAHL. 

